AUBURN, Ala. (WTVM) - Matt Gatens is coming back to the Plains.
Auburn men’s basketball head coach Bruce Pearl announced Friday that Gatens will rejoin the program as general manager. In this new role, Gatens will handle roster management, player evaluation, donor and agent relations, scouting, recruiting and game planning.
Gatens previously served as a graduate assistant on Pearl’s staff from 2016 to 2018, helping the Tigers during a key stretch in their rise to prominence in the Southeastern Conference.
“The key to my success has been surrounding our program with good people, I’ve known Matt since he was born. His parents were friends of mine when I was an assistant at Iowa. Matt has done great things in coaching and was even in the conversation to be Iowa’s head coach last year. It’s great to have him and his family back in Auburn.”
— Bruce Pearl
Pearl said Gatens brings valuable experience managing today’s challenges with Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) and roster development.
Gatens arrives from his alma mater, the University of Iowa, where he spent the last three seasons as an assistant coach. During his time with the Hawkeyes, Iowa posted 55 wins, made two postseason appearances and coached 11 All-Big Ten players, including a consensus All-American and the 2024 Big Ten Freshman of the Year.
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A former standout guard for the Hawkeyes, Gatens ranks among Iowa’s all-time top scorers with 1,635 points and 239 3-pointers. He played professionally in Europe and briefly in the NBA G League before a knee injury ended his career in 2016.
“My family and I are thrilled for the opportunity to rejoin the Auburn Family, coach Pearl and his staff have built one of the most respected programs in the country, and I’m honored to be a part of that winning culture. The passion and energy from the Auburn community is what makes this place so special. War Eagle!”
— Matt Gatens
Before returning to Iowa, Gatens worked four seasons on the Drake men’s basketball staff, helping the Bulldogs win 95 games and reach the NCAA Tournament.
He graduated from Iowa in 2012 and later earned his master’s coursework in adult education from Auburn in 2018.
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